"Besides, aren't we friends? Why do friends have to hide so much?"
"You are a genius; you shouldn't be spending your energy on matters outside the realm of scientific research!"
Facing such an agitated Jayce, Duke slowly pulled his arm away. "Even among friends, some things aren't fully explained. Knowing too much won't do you any good!"
"As for the experiment?"
Duke's lips curled into a mocking smile. "From the beginning, did you truly consider the Hexgate experiment to be ours jointly?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Jayce frowned. He wasn't stupid and knew Duke was mocking and ridiculing him.
But all along, Jayce had always been considerate of Viktor and Duke's feelings, never leaving anyone out.
"You are an excellent scientist, Jayce!"
Duke patted Jayce on the shoulder and walked over to the liquor cabinet. As the most expensive hotel, High Mountain Hotel had a specially equipped liquor cabinet in every room.
Duke pulled out a bottle of golden rum, took out another glass, and walked to the window.
With a flick of his thumb, Duke uncorked the golden rum and poured a glass. The crystal glass, filled with golden liquid, was raised high above his head by Duke, who looked at Jayce's reflection in the crystal glass.
Duke lowered his arm again, looking at the liquor in the glass.
"But that's all there is to it!"
"You just need to continue focusing on scientific research. As for me?" Duke turned around, revealing a smile of unknown meaning. Duke's smile made Jayce's heart skip a beat.
"I advise you not to get too involved!"
Duke closed his eyes, downing the liquor in one gulp, savoring the burning sensation as it went down his throat.
"You can't afford the consequences!"
Jayce looked at Duke's back, his heart filled with questions and indignation. He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, turning and leaving Duke's room.
Duke looked at the golden rum in the bottle and chuckled, "I finally know why Tony Stark likes to drink!"
"Even to the point of alcoholism!"
"The taste of being cursed by knowledge is truly not pleasant!"
Duke glanced at the bottle's mouth and poured more golden liquor into the glass.
In the inventory, an item silently disappeared, replaced by a Hive-like drone behind Duke.
Duke, wearing Edith, instantly connected directly to the Hive drone's control system.
"Retrieve all information on all power holders in Bilgewater, monitor them, and, when necessary, activate the one-shot kill system!"
"Understood, Boss!"
Buzz buzz buzz....
Drone after drone flew out of the Hive. The swallow-sized drones, shaped like the letter "W," constantly changed color and possessed optical camouflage capabilities.
All the drones unhesitatingly passed through the window and disappeared into the vast darkness.
Duke also looked at the blackness of Bilgewater and whispered, "Since you don't intend to play by the rules, then no one will play by the rules!"
"Let this city get chaotic!"
....
Late night.
Netherworld, deck.
Thud!
One-Eyed Dragon, covered in dirt and disheveled, fell onto the deck. On the brightly lit deck, all of Gangplank's Master Sailors were present, all casting cold glances at One-Eyed Dragon.
"Sixteen people went with you, but only you returned!"
Gangplank, sitting on an oak barrel filled with gunpowder, gripped his cutlass in his right hand and held a whetstone in his left. Each rub produced sparks.
"You owe me an explanation, One-Eyed Dragon!"
Gangplank's voice was very deep, carrying the oppressive feeling of an impending storm.
"Which kid, which kid brought a mechanical Beast, a living mechanical Beast? He let that Beast tear my brothers apart."
"Then why were you the only one left?"
The whetstone in Gangplank's hand scraped forcefully across the surface of his cutlass, sparks flying out, illuminating One-Eyed Dragon's panicked face.
"That kid said to leave a survivor, so I..."
"So you didn't fight to the last moment with your brothers, but instead survived because of the enemy's mercy?"
Gangplank lifted his face, a pair of shark-like eyes fixed on One-Eyed Dragon.
"You disappoint me!"
"Listen to me, Captain, listen to me..."
Gangplank didn't give him a chance to explain, standing up from the oak barrel and handing the whetstone in his hand to a Master Sailor behind him.
"Dispose of him!"
"Captain, what about those Piltover guys?"
Gangplank's face twisted into a cruel grin, "Sink their ships, cut off their retreat. We'll play with them slowly!"
Gangplank, carrying his blade, walked into the ship's cabin, humming the Slaughter Song familiar to Bilgewater sailors.
"Tide rises and falls, red as blood."
The Master Sailor, who had taken Gangplank's whetstone, drew the flintlock pistol from his waist and walked towards One-Eyed Dragon.
"Rank stench hangs high, cut into chunks."
One-Eyed Dragon crawled on the ground, hands and feet moving, hoping to get another chance.
"Skin and bone, not a scrap left."
The Master Sailor kicked One-Eyed Dragon over, pointing the flintlock pistol at the back of his head.
"Mother Serpent's tribute, indispensable."
A cruel smile appeared on the Master Sailor's face as his finger hooked the trigger.
Gangplank pushed open the door to his Captain's cabin, slowly humming the last line of the song.
"Only fear the Titan of the abyss, who helps you finish it!"
Bang!
The cabin door slammed shut, and blood on the deck flowed wantonly through the cracks in the wooden planks.
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